All This Bad Blood
by foolycoolie
Summary: He would never admit it, because he cannot allow himself weakness. The truth is reserved for those who dare to get close to the man on fire, because Delsin Rowe is not fearless. He's terrified.


**AN: This was originally written for a video game roleplay group on Tumblr back in March 2014, looking at my characterisation of Delsin. This was written prior to the game's release, so it is based on headcanons and information interpreted from gameplay footage, leaked information, and trailers.**

* * *

The hollow pings of the rain calmed your mind as you walked along the asphalt, pine trees giving way to the scent of smoke and singed air. You don't remember how you got to the edge of Seattle, near one of the major D.U.P. checkpoints. You don't even remember waking up. But you were awake and dressed (you could feel the scratchy fabric of your beanie against your skin, and the weight of your vest on your shoulders), and your feet carried you closer to Seattle.

Your walk didn't slow as you approached the checkpoint, but what surprised you the most was the lack of life, literally. Banners swayed slightly in the rain, hollow metal structure standing tall with no signs of human activity. A ghost town. The checkpoints were usually overflowing with soldiers, so where were they? Nevertheless, you carried yourself through the barriers with ease, despite how much you tried to stop. Your body moved independently of your mind, you were a ghost inside yourself. You were dreaming and you couldn't stop it.

_Wake up._

The outskirts of the city were calm in the dark of the evening, peaceful even. Peace had been lost on you even since the blast in Empire City, a thing of the past. You could hear sirens and faint talking, and your eyes snapped up to the sky being illuminated by white beacons of light. You briefly wondered what the hell was going on, why Seattle was completely empty, and why all the D.U.P. soldiers were focusing in on one section of the city. It took you a moment to realize you were neon dashing up a nearby building onto and across the rooftops before you had decided to figure out what all the commotion was about.

_Wake up._

It was relatively easy for you to find the source, you simply neon dashed across the rooftops, following the sounds. The crushing feeling that something terrible was unfolding lingered with you, but you still couldn't do a single thing about it. It was like fate; you couldn't struggle against something bigger than you and you couldn't close your eyes when they were forced open for you.

You slowed to a halt on the seventh roof, and whiskey hues trailed down to the street below you. The weight on your chest only increased as you took in the scene. Flashing amber lights illuminated at least a dozen tanks, the bright yellow D.U.P. logo visible on the sides of the vehicles. Soldiers swarm in a massive circle around a focal point in the middle of the action, but it wasn't until they began to dissipate that you could see what, or whom, they were so intent on.

Reggie and Fetch, in handcuffs, being herded towards one of the tanks by two yellow and black soldiers. Even from this distance, you can notice the blood staining the neon Conduit's white shirt and your brother's face. They put up a fight against the D.U.P., and it was most likely your fault. You feel the air getting heavy, crushing you, before the haze you didn't even know was covering your mind fades in an instant, and clarity springs forwards, overwhelming your senses and emotions.

"No!" The word burst forward, tearing through the silence of the night. Pushing off your back leg, you sprung forward, intent on rescuing your brother and the other Conduit. However, you were met by an invisible resistance, a wall beginning where the building ended, which forced you back. A flash of pain ricocheted through your forehead, and you screamed, partially from your forehead, and partially from the resistance. Looking up, you noticed ripples of blue in the air where you hit the wall, fading away back into nothing. A shield, a forcefield. You were aware that the D.U.P. had Conduits forced to work for them, but you weren't aware of them being able to create a freaking forcefield.

Apparently, the disturbance from the shield was visible from the inside, and Fetch's head turned towards you, brown eyes widening when she saw you. Her lips moved, but no sound emerged. You could only watch as Reggie turned to see you as well, and managed to wrench himself out the soldier's grasp, bolting towards the edge of the shield with long strides.

"Don't!" You yelled, unsure if the sound would travel through the barrier or not. The soldier that had been holding Reggie pulled a pistol out of his holster and didn't hesitate at putting a bullet through his head. A scream ripped out of your throat again, almost inhuman in nature. Fists banged against the shield as you forced yourself to look away from your brother, almost choking on your sobs.

_Wake up._

Fetch was wrestling against her soldier, kicking and fighting as much as she could for a 4' 11" girl in handcuffs. With a stomp to his foot and an elbow to the face, she managed to break free, rushing towards where your brother's body lay. That was, until another solider stepped out with a rifle and slammed the butt into her head, knocking her to the ground. Your mind buzzed as saltwater dripped down your cheeks. No matter how much you wanted to, you couldn't take your eyes off the scene. You were too late. Fetch had been captured by the D.U.P. again, and your brother was **dead**. The two people you would give your life for, you promised yourself they wouldn't get hurt.

_Wake up._

"Well, well, well, I had a feeling you would show up." Your head turned, dark eyes searching for the voice, and then you saw her. Brooke Augustine, leader of the D.U.P., standing behind you with a smug smirk on herr face. You wanted to punch the smile off her fucking face, but watching Reggie die before your eyes drained almost all the willpower out of you.

"Delsin Rowe. You never thought it would come to this," She said, leaning in towards you, her body heat alone making you uncomfortable. "Because even after everything, it always came back to them. Reggie and Fetch. All the resistance, all the fighting, all the rebellion, just to keep them safe." She tilted her head on an angle, peering at you like a crow perched on a telephone line.

"Yet, here we are. Because you always imagined this happening. You failing, not being able to save them. It was always going to happen, Delsin. You were going to slip up. You were going to betray them." You could barely stand to look at her, but looking away would show weakness, and there was enough bile rising in your throat from her taunts as is.

_Wake up._

"You can't fight us. We are in control."

Your gaze locked with hers, and anger surged through you. You could stop them. You could destroy them. Burn this city to the ground for what they did to you. No, you couldn't stoop to their level. You thought back to Cole MacGrath, the original, the one who sacrificed himself to save the world. Your idol.

This was your chance to make a impression on Seattle, to decide whether to live to fight or fight to live. You always said you'd go down fighting. Like your brother did. Like Fetch has, or will. Like you will.

_Wake up._

"I'd rather die my way then live yours." You spat the words out at her, drenched in fierce determination and anger. Without even hesitating, you focused almost all of your neon energy into your right hand. Lifting it up, you closed your eyes and tensed, before letting go.

A compact ball of neon shot up, flying high into the atmosphere before shattering and exploding, beams of blue and purple light spreading through the sky. As soon as you felt the energy drain out of you (and _**holy fuck**_, did it drain a lot of energy out of you), you darted to the left, towards the edge of the building. If you pulled the jump off right, and you had lost enough energy for your fast healing to not work, it may just work.

_Wake up._

Because this was it.

_Wake up._

This was your choice.

_Wake UP._

You had sacrificed yourself. This was your mark. That you'd rather be free than be taken by the D.U.P.

_WAKE UP._

Because Reggie and Fetch deserved their freedom,

_WAKEUPWAKEUPWAKEUP._

And you couldn't live if they didn't.

_WAKE UP DELSIN._

It was Fetch that met you in the light of consciousness, thrashing and screaming and sobbing. She felt warm against your skin drenched in cold sweat, and she held you until you fell asleep together.

You never did sleep quite the same again.


End file.
